President John Dramani Mahama has explained the options available to him to consider before signing the anti-LGBTQI Bill.
He says when such a bill is passed, especially as a private members’ bill, the president would have to sit with the Attorney-General and have a deeper look at it before signing to address the issues, if there are any
The other option is that the president can forward it to the Council of State if there are problems with the bill, he said.
Speaking during a Chatham House Interview on Monday, June 1, as part of his trip to the United Kingdom, he “The Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill has been a bill that has probably evoked the most interest in Ghana, it shows how important issues of family values are. It is not the only reason Ghana is in the news. It has been one.
” Parliament has been considering it, and it was supposed to have been passed last week. There have been a few issues raised.
“One, that there wasn’t a quorum when it was passed. That’s an issue that has come up. And then, two, there were some procedural lapses in terms of its passage.
” I just got some communication that the Speaker was reading a statement to address the issue of the lapses in the passage of the bill. And so, like I said, when I was the opposition leader, the President had a number of options in this matter. It must come for assents.
“And so, once the President gets it, you go through it, because you are not part of the discussion in Parliament. And so, the legal representative, the legal counsel in the Presidency and the Attorney General would sit on it, because it was a private member’s motion. This was not a government bill.
“And so, we’ll look at it and make sure that everything is in order before the President is advised to assent.”
He added “The President has another option if there are some things that he thinks are a problem. He can refer to the Council of State for advice.
“The Council of State is an advisory body to the President. And so, they’ll take a look at it and then they’ll advise the President. And if there are issues, substantial issues that are raised, the President would return the bill to Parliament indicating exactly what the issues are.
“And so, there’s still quite a while to go before that bill becomes law.”
The House passed the new bill on Friday, May 29, 2026 after amendments were made to the earlier bill which was passed under former President Akufo-Addo.
The proposed amendment drew rejection from the Minority side who argued that the changes makes the bill not fit for purpose.
The second reading of the new bill was taken on Thursday, May 28 while its third reading was done on Friday, May 29, 2026 after which it was passed.
“Honourable members, the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill 2025 is duly read for the third time and passed,” First Deputy Bernard Ahiafor who chaired proceedings declared the bill passed.
New amendments to clause nine of the new Bill exempts individuals who provide legal services for persons who identify as LGBTQ+.
It also proposes exemptions for journalists and media houses reporting on LGBT-related news or current affairs in the normal course of their work, as well as for professionals offering medical, surgical, psychological, or counselling services to such individuals.
Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, explained that the proposed amendments are intended to narrowly define exemptions in the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025, to ensure that professional services and routine activities are not interpreted as promoting LGBT activities.
Meanwhile, Minority MPs for Bosome-Freho and Assin South, Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh and John Ntim Fordjour rejected the proposed amendment.
They argued that the proposed changes suggest the version of the Bill submitted for assent by former President Akufo-Addo was not adequately fit for purpose.
“The new bill we wanted Akufo-Addo to pass is now exempting all these people under this clause including NGOs, academic publications for science and medical opinions, the report of news and current affairs by the media house. The point we are making here is that this is watering down the point that you wanted Akufo-Addo to sign for which people have reasons. Today, it is clear that you are exempting all these people under this bill which is not the same bill you asked Akufo-Addo to sign,” Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh noted.
“These are the people sponsoring, supporting, pro- making sponsoring, making these activities rather attractive behind the scenes and even sometimes overtly. And so if I find it highly problematic, any attempt by this house to push any of these exceptions in, we will resist it. And if the house will use their majority numbers to push it through, I, as a sponsor, will advise myself accordingly,” John Ntim Fordjour added.
